New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

mary-op

toochoosey - you're welcome. Letter writing seems to be fast disappearing but people love to receive them........I know I do and regularly write to my late mums friends who were so good to her -one of them always remarks about the pretty notelets I send so if I run out of shop bought ones I make some.
I had some lovely letters this christmas from people.........foster children I had, kids (now adult) that attended the youth club I worked at some years back and friends I don't get to see due to the distance between us.........its lovely to hear a bit of news from them. e mails are ok but letters can be taken out and re-read and seem a bit more personal I think.

toochoosey

mary-op, thats lovely...to be rcognised for all the hard work and tears you have put in for other people xx

polkadot

Hello everyone

Ive spent most of the day trying to get some clening done (will have to call on flylady methinks:p) (when my head wasn`t stuck down the toilet).
I wont need to buy any gift wrap next year as I have about 8 rolls of about 10 meters each-all bagged up with someribbons and bows in a santa sack. The children swapped christmas cards at DS nursery so I have loads of those to turn into gift tags.
I too, am a notebook fiend. I have one that I call my master list book and literally any task I think of gets written down in it and I dip into it to make my weekly to do lists.
Thank you to the person who posted re the luggage sets at argos. Made me realise I dont have anything to take to hospital with me (yes-I know its a ways off) but DF also has a £10 voucher so I reserved a lovely pink handbag and a bright pink trolley bag with a little document purse-supposed to cost £20.80 (In the sale-think the bag was £20 and the trolley about £30) but because of the voucher it`ll only cost £10.80. I know it`s not for christmas, but I have to be prepared for baby (and DS starts school the same week baby is due) and all of it adds up to christmas, doesn`t it?

loopychriss

I had quite a successful time in town today. In Poundland I got 2 sets of 3 mini jars, which will be filled with gold coins and gold wrapped sweets and a lottery ticket or scratchcard at Christmas for presents for hampers. I also got 3 small wicker laundry baskets in the 99p shop for said hampers.

In Wilkinsons I got some seeds (nothing to do with Christmas at all but I wanted to grow some lavender this year and got 3 packs of seeds, one of which was lavender). These were 3 for £1.50, so if the lavender grows I might have some dried lavender to make gifts with. I also got a Top Gear thing for my son in law, which is some body wash in the shape of The Stig. That was £2.39, half price. and in M&S I got a Stig keyring, half price at £1.50.

In M&S I got 2 sets of a game, Family Fortunes, for my daughters' & partners hampers, and a set of mini port, mini brandy, 6 chocs and a pack of playing cards for friends. That was £3 instead of £9.50, but is for this Christmas just gone as we haven't seen them to give them their pressie yet, and I hadn't bought one! We also got them a set of honey and honey jar with stirrer from Debenhams, at £9.37.

Went on to an outlet centre after the local town, seeing as we were out. There I got a Swarovski crystal necklace and earring set for my sister in law's birthday (not until Dec 6th!), and a copper colour clutch bag which is gorgeous. Got them in a shop called Bijoux, which sells stuff at half price anyway, but then I got another £5 off each item! So, the necklace set (RRP £25) I got for £7, and the clutch bag (RRP £20) for £5.

In M&S I got an Edwardian Lady writing compendium for stepmother-in-law's birthday (July) and a lavender set of soap and body lotion. The writing set was £2.49 and the soap set £3.50. So.... 2 birthday pressies down, umpteen to go. Also got a game called Keep on Humming in M&S for £3, this will probably go to our friends.

I'm loving this thread and sharing my bargains. I've done it for years and my family used to think I was nuts... One year I was even panicking because I hadn't bought all the presents by the end of February....!!!

Spendless

Got JK Rowlings 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' In Tesco was reduced to 50p but a friend bought it for me cos I'd run her to the shops as her car was conked. Will propably save for a stocking filler for DS next year- but might read it myself first. shhhhhhhhhh.

In Sainsburys I got a science museum hologram chamber and hydrophobic sand, bith for my science mad son next year. They were £2 and £2.50 can't remember which way round but that was a 50% reduction.

Got my first casualty of this year from hoarding stuff. My son's name isn't one you find on the personalised stuff here but it's pretty common in U.S and Canada so I ask friends/relatives to fetch me stuff back when they holiday. My mate fetched me several items when she went March 08, but I couldn't find the pen when I looked last Christmas, so when I found it months later I saved it. DS was so excited with a pen with his name on and opened it and tried it and it doesn't work...the ink has dried out....whoops.:o

Cos he knows about Santa this year I was able to confess it was me who had slipped up and how.

One thing I have decide for 2010 is instead of putting the kids sto0ckings up in the loft with the xmas decs I am going to keep them in my gift cupboard instead and then I can see as I go along what will fit what won't and how much I need.

Whoops_Apololypse

Hi Whoops here... please can I join your gang of merry thrifters :-) I am living on a real tight budget so 2010 is all about how to live better on less money - bring on the challenges. Do I have to register for the challenges or just read this thread? Can't wait to get started... off to do some money budgeting....

oldMcDonald

mum2one wrote: »

Noticed your sig, when I was learning to drive dad had an Allergo estate, mustard yellow. Loved that car.xx

I do love my car, this is my 4th Allegro and was very hard to find - she is rare now. Many people laugh at my Allegro then, when no one else is around, come clean and tell me all about the one they used to have, how good a little car it was and how much they liked it:p

I've been doing the Argos run today. One in my smaller town and the two in the larger towns nearby. Got several items of Lego City, which I'm very pleased with - there was only one or two items left in stock of these so I got there just in time.

I was hoping to pick up some wrapping paper but everyone seems to have beaten me to it

mooomin

Well I'm back from Tesco and won't need wrapping paper for a loooooong time!

I got two packs which have four rolls of paper and loads of bows/ribbons in them. Both were £3 each pre-Christmas and I paid £1.50 for a lovely purple one and 75p for a less interesting coloured one! :j I also got some stickers for £1 (Reduced from £3) which I will use in card/tag making and two tops for my nephew (£1.50 each reduced from £2.50) My crackers are also bought - £1.25 reduced from £5

Winter_Jasmine

Oh flip - read the first page and thought 'oh I'll just skip to the end and ask to join but looks like people are well into the swing of things so shall go back and read through!

I've started for next year - don't know if this is in keeping with the thread or counts as good amongst you guys but was good for me - I've ordered 4 sets of body scrubs and butters from The Body Shop sale to put away for birthdays/Christmas - normally £12.20 per butter or scrub, reduced to £5 each so I placed 2 separate orders so I could use 2 x £5 off vouchers - paid £30 for £97.60 worth of stuff (plus £4.50 Quidco)

Please can I be included - I love the sound of this thread

[Deleted User]

Today I risked life and limb in the snow to drive to Hobbycraft (It wasn't snowing when I left the house!) and picked up a few bits and piecess in the sale there - 2X gold tinsel with stars on were £1.99 bought for 99p, some pretty borders to use for card making 2X 99p reduced from £1.49 and 2X49p reduced from 99p. I also bought some pretty gold ribbon for £1.99 to go around my pots of gold when I make them later in the year.

In Ikea I bought 12 glasses at £2.99 for a set of 6 so £5.98 spent there! Pots of Gold glasses ready to be filled!!

Braved Argos online last night and today collected a ladybird game which was £9.99, I bought it for £3.99, a alphabet floor puzzle and floor dominoes both should have been £5.99 and bought for £1.99 each!!

In total today I managed to save £18